bulldoze

verb

bull·​doze ˈbu̇l-ˌdōz How to pronounce bulldoze (audio)
 also  ˈbəl-
bulldozed; bulldozing; bulldozes
Synonyms of bulldozenext

transitive verb

1
: to coerce or restrain by threats : bully
2
: to move, clear, gouge out, or level off by pushing with or as if with a bulldozer
3
: to force insensitively or ruthlessly

intransitive verb

1
: to operate a bulldozer
2
: to force one's way like a bulldozer

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for bulldoze

intimidate, cow, bulldoze, bully, browbeat mean to frighten into submission.

intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another.

intimidated by so many other bright freshmen

cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost.

not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business

bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats.

bulldozed the city council into approving the plan

bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior.

bullied into giving up their lunch money

browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment.

browbeat the witness into a contradiction

Examples of bulldoze in a Sentence

The crew is bulldozing the trees. They bulldozed a road through the hills. The governor bulldozed the law through the legislature.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Israeli forces even bulldozed their village cemetery where generations of family members are buried. —Sally Abou Aljoud, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 That would require persuading the U.S. Postal Service to bulldoze its parking garage adjacent to Hennepin Avenue. —Kyle Stokes, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024 In Horse Crazy, his implacable skepticism forces the reader to consider the alienating effects of an era characterized by lethal STIs, unrepentant capitalism, bulldozed cultural history, and pervasive substance addiction. —Daniel Felsenthal, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 2024 But this made employees feel as if the possibility of internal promotions were being bulldozed, and so some left. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bulldoze 

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from bull entry 1 + alteration of dose

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bulldoze was in 1876

Phrases Containing bulldoze

Dictionary Entries Near bulldoze

bull donkey

bulldoze

bulldoze one's way

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Bulldoze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bulldoze. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

bulldoze

verb
bull·​doze ˈbu̇l-ˌdōz How to pronounce bulldoze (audio)
bulldozed; bulldozing
1
: to move, clear, or level with a bulldozer
2
: to force as if by using a bulldozer
bulldozed their way through the crowd

More from Merriam-Webster on bulldoze

Nglish: Translation of bulldoze for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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